Link: www.corestandards.org For this blog post I decided to explore the proposed common core standards and what exactly they entail. I visited the common core standards homepage and read their academic standards section. I discovered the following six standards upon which the more specific standards are based Research and evidence based Clear, understandable, and consistent Aligned with college and career expectations Based on rigorous content and the application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills Built upon the strengths and lessons of current state standards Informed by other top-performing countries to prepare all students for success in our global economy and society These were about the vaguest pronouncements I have ever seen so I decided to look at the core math standards. They emphasized mastering basic mathematical operations and abstract thinking (word problems, puzzles etc.) in the early grade while building to more complex concepts by the end of elementary school and high school. These standards look appealing and are more specific but they still lack detail. My own elementary school experience corresponds roughly with the common core standards and yet I would say that depending of the teacher or textbook or classroom I learned some concepts very well and some not at all. To me the common core math standards provide too much leeway for a class to cover a topic yet not really learn it. This problem would theoretically be avoided with rigid standardized testing but I still wonder if some students would be short-changed. One solution to this problem would be to provide rigid and specific instructions to math teachers themselves perhaps including lesson plans and classroom tests. While this program would stifle teacher creativity it would also help to standardize math education across the nation It seems to me (and I really have no idea) that a good fractions lesson in Massachusetts looks precisely the same as a good fractions lesson in Mississippi. This brief look at the common core standards has convinced me (as much as any one webpage can) the the common core, while immensely useful is not a magical solution to our nations's education problems. Even a detailed and specific lesson plan would not fund a poor school or increase attendance rates. However, specific math standards can level the playing field in a field that is increasingly important in the modern world.